Isloria

Isloria is a high fantasy world setting currently being crafted by author Tom Brown. Work on the setting, and story, first began in 2009, and has proceeded gradually ever since. The entire project is dedicated to the memory of Tom's mother, Phyllis Brown, who passed away on 9 October 2020.

Overview
Isloria is the most easterly of the Five Realms of the world of Achirion, and the one most distant from any other in comparison to the other four. In this regard, it is considered somewhat isolated. It is also the only realm where a single nation controls the vast majority of its territory.

Climate
Isloria has a climate characterised by mild winters and cool summers. The most extreme temperatures are found in the far north and far south, which are the coldest and warmest regions of the continent, respectively. The majority of the continent has around of 179 days of precipitation annually, on average receiving a total of 30 inches of rain per year. Spring is the driest season and autumn is the wettest.

Flora and fauna
Animals and plants. Common, uncommon and rare species.

Modern
The modern, republican era in Isloria began in 2673 with the onset of the Green Revolution. Several years of conflict between the Empire and the nation-states of Eccavar had taken a toll on the economy and cost countless lives. A proposal in the Imperial Council to increase certain taxes in order to fund additional expeditionary forces to the neighbouring continent was met with considerable hostility among the peasantry. Already feeling the pressure from previous tax increases to fund the seemingly endless conflict, sentiments among the commonfolk were turning increasingly against the Crown.

This souring mood exploded into open confrontation on Midsummer's Eve in 2673 when thousands of people poured into the streets in the city of Clenodell to protest the suggested increased taxes. A group of conscription officers in the city to raise additional levies for the war in Eccavar were set upon by the crowd and beaten severely, before being dragged to the gates and dumped there. Attempts by the city watch to disperse the crowds failed, and the mayor and aldermen locked themselves within the city hall and sent desperate missives to request aid from the nearby Army garrison at Fort Setlin. Troops were dispatched in due course, and while they were successful at ending the protests, they did so violently, and well over a thousand people died in the suppression of what history now remembers as the Clenodell Uprising.

News of the bloody suppression of the rising spread quickly throughout the Empire, and large protests began to spring up in every major city. When Emperor Daevol learned of the risings, he ordered the army to use whatever means necessary to end them. This order was met with considerable resistance within the military. Nevertheless, Gannoric Johad, the Marshal of the Armies, ordered troops deployed to contain the risings but gave strict orders they were not to use excessive violence against them. This news was received angrily by the emperor, who ordered Johad arrested and gave direct orders that the peasant uprisings were to be put down with force. Several generals, suspicious at this sudden change, managed to discover through contacts in the bureaucracy that Johad had been placed under arrest, and spread this fact throughout the ranks of the army.

While the army took an oath of loyalty to the emperor, Johad was considered the most popular man in the entire army, and it had been whispered for some years that if the marshal ever wanted to take the throne for himself, he wouldn't have a hard time doing so, as the army would support him. Troops in the capital stormed the secret police compound where the marshal was being held, killing many of the officers there in the process. Once free, Johad rode to Fort Exern, north of the capital, where he rallied the army commanders to him, and declared that the Empire was no longer worthy of their loyalty when it decided to turn against its own people. He openly advocated the overthrow of the monarchy and declared that he would do so or die trying. The Green Revolution began in earnest on that day, just before the beginning of the Harvest Festival holiday, in the autumn of 2673. The forces loyal to the marshal, and the cause itself, drew their name from the green colour of Johad's heraldic banner as the Baron of Sharnwick.

The Revolution would last for just over three years. Johad's personal popularity within the army and the increasing support he found among the commonfolk of the Empire helped his cause considerably, and loyalist forces found it increasingly difficult to find anyone willing to aid them outside the aristocracy and some elements of the landed gentry, who had likewise been chafing under the increasing taxes being foisted upon the populace to pay for the wars in Eccavar. The first major victory of the Revolution came in early spring of 2674 when the emperor's eldest grandson, Prince Hillan, met Johad under a flag of truce and joined his cause after bringing forces under his command to the marshal's aid during fighting in the city of Portmore on the southern coast. Fighting continued throughout the Empire until mid-winter of 2675, when forces under Marshal Johad's command successfully surrounded and laid siege to Castle Corlach, the emperor's private residence northwest of the capital. Using information given to them by Prince Hillan, Johad's troops eventually broke through the defending lines and forced their way into the castle, capturing the emperor, his wife, and his two sons.

While Johad would have been content with sending the entire imperial family into exile, but public sentiment was against such notions. Documents seized from Corlach provided damning evidence that the emperor and his sons had been responsible for the orders which had called upon loyalist forces to use any and all means to put down what they called "Johad's rebellion". Ultimately, Daevol and his sons, Gedrin and Parnav, were given a public trial in the Palace of Justice in the capital and hanged three days later. The empress consort, who despite her husband's own low popularity had always been well-liked for her constant efforts to help the less fortunate, was allowed to peacefully retire to Cantlyn, a small estate near the coast that had been gifted to her by the emperor many years before, where she lived under Johad's protection until her death in 2691 at the age of 83. At this point, there were many differing opinions as to what course the Empire should take, as it found itself without a monarch for the first time since the Interregnum nearly 600 years prior.

After several weeks of sweeping loyalist officials from the Imperial government, Johad gave his first public speech since the trial and execution of the emperor and his sons. Speaking before nearly five thousand in Monument Plaza, the marshal said the best path forward for Isloria was to establish a new government, one which listened to its people and drew its authority from them, rather than from ancient traditions that the marshal dismissed as providing "little other reason than 'just because'." To this end, he called for a "Great Convention" to assemble in the capital, and for each province to send delegates to it, drawn from among the commonfolk and the working and mercantile classes. This convention would become responsible for setting down the structure of the new government.

The Convention lasted for nearly four months, and saw merchants, farmers, tailors, and virtually every other profession represented in its meetings. The gatherings were energetic and at times intense, but Johad's presence was often more than enough to keep the proceedings in line. It ultimately fell to a small group of six scholars - the Humans TBD and TBD, the Elf TBD, the Kirid TBD, the Gnome TBD, and the Orc TBD - to consolidate the proposed ideas of the delegates into a system that could meet the needs and expectations of the various peoples of the Empire, focusing on consensus and the free exchange of ideas as cornerstones of the new state.

The new constitution, known as the Common Charter, was ratified by the delegates shortly before the Festival of Lanterns in the summer of 2676 and word quickly spread throughout the land. The first formal elections for the new Assembly were held on the first day of the Harvest Festival of that same year. The new legislature would sit for the first time a few days after New Year's 2677, and assembled in the Highspire Opera House until a new, permanent home could be constructed.

Assembly of Representatives
The legislative council of the Republic and its supreme political authority. It is responsible for making laws, declaring war, raising taxes and providing public money for projects and activities while overseeing its proper expenditure and setting the regulations by which the government and military function. The Assembly has 185 members, all popularly elected by all citizens within their constituent district aged 18 years and older every five years using the first-past-the-post method. Members are not term limited but must be 25 years old and have lived in the district they seek to represent for at least 10 years at the time they file to run for election.

Grand Secretariat
The main administrative arm of the government, led by the Grand Secretary. It is the agency through which the laws and policies of the Republic are coordinated in accordance with Assembly decisions. Its membership consists of the various secretaries of state and other senior officials who lead its various departments and agencies.

Grand Secretary
The chief officer of the Grand Secretariat and, by extension, the Republic. This official is nominated and elected by the membership of the Assembly for a five-year term from among the ranks of the political coalition which holds the largest majority of seats. Each person who occupies this office is limited to three terms.

Foreign Office
Led by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, this agency is responsible for maintaining diplomatic relations between the Republic and other nations.

War Office
Led by the Secretary of State for War, this agency oversees the army and navy forces.

Fiscal Office
Led by the Secretary of State for Revenue, this agency manages taxation, excise, the budget, payment of bills, and the census.

Judicial Office
Led by the Secretary of State for Justice, this agency oversees the courts, criminal prosecutions, and the penal system.

Works Office
Led by the Secretary of State for Works, this agency is responsible for maintenance of highways and canals, standardisation of weights and measures, and coordinating government construction projets.

Bureau of Statistics
The intelligence agency of the Republic, answering to the Grand Secretary via the Secretary of State for War.

Commission for the Protection of Special Sites
This agency is responsible for enforcing protective status for unique and historical sites throughout the Republic, including Precursor ruins.

Commission for Trade and Navigation
This agency is responsible for general regulation of commerce and industry within the Republic, as well as maintaining the lighthouses along the nation's coastline.

At present, the key figures in the central government are -


 * Yaela Goodwill, Grand Secretary
 * Hillan, Prince of Beverstone (Josh Dallas)
 * Rhodan, Prince of Waydon (Tom Hopper)
 * Kethris Halded, Lord Steward (TBD)
 * Polbier Levri, Lord Chamberlain (TBD)
 * Lenseph Demose, Secretary Imperial (Charles Dance)

The provinces
The republic as a whole is divided into 37 provinces, each overseen by a governor, who is elected by the people of that province to a five-year term that is renewable once. Each province is divided into five constituent districts, each of which sends one popularly elected legislator to the Assembly of Representatives.

Municipalities
Every city, town, and village within the Republic is led by a popularly elected board of aldermen of varying size, with one among its number serving as mayor for that term.

Twentieth
Based solely on revenue (5% of net earnings from land, property, commerce, industry). Assessed and paid once a year or incrementally every month.

Land tax
Based on market value of lands held. Structures built on the property are not counted unless over a certain size or number.

Tariffs
Taxes imposed on certain imports and exports.

Customs duties
Duties imposed on specific imports or exports, primarily used as a punitive measure towards a specific group or nation.

Races
The following races make up the demographics of the Republic - humans, elves, kirid-din (Rakshasa), TBD (aarakocra), dwarves, halflings, orcs, trolls, and TBD (sach yuan-ti malison).

Guild of Arcanists
The arcanist society of the Republic, operating under an official charter that has been in place since the days of the Empire and has been subject to renewal every ten years since the establishment of the Republic. The guild has four primary responsibilities - to identify and train young arcanists, to seek and acquire magical items and texts for study and preservation, to identify and neutralize arcanists who violate the law so that they may face justice, and to offer a wide range of arcane services to the empire and its people. It is led by a senior arcanist known as the Magister-General. Its headquarters is Capvering Hold, located in the Military District of Highspire, the capital city of the Republic. The current leader of the guild is Violette Humilio, who has served in this capacity for the last 24 years. She is widely regarded as the single most powerful arcanist on the continent.

Green Banner
Formally the Companions of the Order of the Green Banner, this honour society was established by the first Grand Secretary of the Republic shortly after its founding. While anyone can nominate a citizen for membership, only the Grand Secretary can appoint a person to its ranks, and this only after the nomination is reviewed and approved by the Assembly. Membership in the order is limited to 250 persons. Several of the Republic's most prominent military officers and officials have been members of the order, as have many of its most legendary historical figures.

Overview
Collectively the Gods are known as the Circle Celestial. There are 53 deities in the Circle, and none have names. They are all an aspect, or reflection, of the will of the overdeity known only as The One, who created all things and placed their children (the Gods of the Circle) in stewardship over said creation.

The Gods

 * God of agriculture
 * God of beasts
 * God of evil
 * God of mercy
 * God of lost causes
 * God of the waters
 * God of fire
 * God of governance
 * God of seasons
 * God of war
 * God of death
 * God of fate
 * God of fertility
 * God of the hearth
 * God of fortune
 * God of hunting
 * God of light
 * God of darkness
 * God of love
 * God of mischief
 * God of the sun
 * God of the moon
 * God of music
 * God of redemption
 * God of commerce
 * God of the winds
 * God of weather
 * God of wisdom
 * God of the arts
 * God of fools
 * God of craft
 * God of industry
 * God of disease
 * God of healing
 * God of justice
 * God of peace
 * God of strength
 * God of time
 * God of travel
 * God of children
 * God of the aged
 * God of messengers
 * God of truth
 * God of lies
 * God of earth
 * God of revelry
 * God of competition
 * God of beauty
 * God of protection
 * God of secrets
 * God of language
 * God of chaos
 * God of order

Source
In each of the Five Realms, magic comes from a distinctive source. The wellspring of arcane energies in Ilunar is known as the Font of Conjunction. From it, magical energy suffuses the land and enriches it with power, creating a pervasive, interconnected web of arcane energy known as the Ambience. Unfortunately for most, only a select few have the ability to harness and utilize this energy. Arcanists are born; they cannot be made, and it is estimated that only one in every 1,000 people is born with “the Gift” as this ability is known. There are no definitive formulae to explain how a Gifted child is chosen. Two mundane parents can have a Gifted child, or two Gifted parents can have a dozen mundane children. It is commonly believed that the decision of who is Gifted and who is not is made by Yion, the god of magic and knowledge, according to his own counsel.

Unknown to all but the members of the Incantrium itself, as well as a few within the royal government, the Font is located in a cavern system deep beneath Capvering Hold itself. The location is heavily secured and only a few know how to access it.

Unbinding
For those born with the Gift, in their fourth or fifth year they experience an event known as the Unbinding. This event refers to the point at which the youth’s own arcane resonance becomes fully connected to the Ambience itself, resulting in a burst of considerable magical power. It is typically triggered when a child encounters a potent arcane energy source but can also result from exposure to an event inducing great stress or trauma. The event manifests itself in many different ways, such objects around the person may suddenly begin to float, or the item they’re holding will inexplicably burst into flames. This event gives off a significant amount of energy, which will be detected by other arcanists. At this point, two representatives of the Incantrium will be dispatched to find and meet this child and their parents. They will explain what has happened, provide any necessary assistance with correcting any damage that has occurred as a result of the Unbinding, and will then make arrangements to take the child for training.

Training
It is required by law that all Gifted children be taught how to properly use their magical powers, for their own welfare as much as that of the civilian populace. The child will be brought to the nearest Incantrium chapter house, where they will “take the novitiate”, as the ten-year regime of arcane education is known. During this time, a magister will be assigned as the apprentice's instructor, responsible for ensuring they receive all the training they will need. They will then enter a small group of anywhere from three to ten other apprentices. The education the Incantrium provides is rigorous and demanding, but it ensures each apprentice is prepared to address concerns both magical and mundane. Aside from their training with magic, they are also taught writing, reading, arithmetic, botany, geology, and several other subjects. Once the ten-year period is complete, every apprentice arcanist a ritual known as the Trial of the First Seal or the Journey to the Horizon. In this, they drink a special chymical mixture that induces a realistic hallucination unique to the individual. Within this experience, the novice must face their innermost fears and overcome them, as “an arcanist who cannot defeat self-doubt and rise to the moment can never truly accomplish all they are meant to.” While in this hallucinatory state, apprentices are supervised by a magister and a healer. The trial has three possible outcomes. The first, and most common, is that the apprentice successfully completes the trial and is welcomed into the order as a journeyman arcanist in a celebratory ceremony. The second outcome, which is very rare, is that an apprentice fails their trial and suffers a mental break, which causes their connection to the Ambience being severed, which results in them losing the capacity to wield magic and becoming what is known as "Null". Those who experience this outcome will spend a mandatory period of time under the supervisor of healers before being returned home to their families. The third, and rarest outcome, is that an apprentice falls victim to the hallucination’s seeming reality and is driven incurably insane. The unfortunate few who fall victim to this outcome, known as "suffering the Delirium", are put away where they cannot harm themselves or others and cared for by highly specialized guardians.

Anti-Magic Sentiments
There are some who fear magic and those who wield it. Wild claims of unchecked natural disasters, crazed fanatics driven mad by careless research, and even invasions of otherworldly beings from a different plane are among the various dangers those fearful insist arcanists will one day call down on the magically talented and the mundane alike. None of these claims have yet come true, however, and that does not stop the accusations, but those who feel so strongly against magic and those who use it must be mindful not to violate laws against libel and slander.

Myths, legends and folklore
Things like the Black Fleet, Howling Well, etc.

Names
Castleside - Bankhearth - Caskilot - Highspire - Hollomith - Spellshore

Darvom - Odrit To - Emrel - Adril Tan - Gengrim Od - Loncror Ghur - Modren Zel

Revision
At its pinnacle, the nation is led by its emperor (or empress regnant). While their rule is absolute, they are advised by a council of advisors that handle routine administration and are involved in matters of diplomacy, defense, finance and economics, law and justice, security, and public welfare. Members of the council deal with national and individual interest matters, issues proclamations in the sovereign's name, and supervise the courts and law enforcement. While the council can make decisions, the sovereign can veto them without question.

The principal officer of the council is the secretary imperial, who serves as the sovereign's most senior advisor and is de facto head of government. The daily business of the government is divided between several numerous important bodies.

At present, the key figures in the central government are -


 * Yaela I, Empress of Ilunar
 * Hillan, Prince of Beverstone (Josh Dallas)
 * Rhodan, Prince of Waydon (Tom Hopper)
 * Kethris Halded, Lord Steward (TBD)
 * Polbier Levri, Lord Chamberlain (TBD)
 * Lenseph Demose, Secretary Imperial (Charles Dance)